Down Near the Lost and Found
by thrufirewithoutaburn
Summary: In Tulsa, befriending Greasers is dangerous business.  For Lindy Sparks, it may take everything she has...
1. Chapter 1

**Don't you hate it when you have what seems like a million other stories to write but one idea simply won't leave your head? I'm writing this one for fun. These characters haven't left my head, and I'm getting them out just so they will leave me alone! :) Enjoy! Please read and review.**

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The final day before Christmas Break, the 'most wonderful time of the year,' Sodapop Curtis and Steve Randle both nearly froze to death. Two Bit drove his hunk of junk to school, but, fearing the old clunker couldn't make the trip, the two friends opted instead to pick their other companion up on foot. The frigid Tulsa air dropped near thirty degrees, the wind blowing through the boys, mocking them with its giddy torment. Finally, they reached the run-down shack on the edge of the East Side of town. A smile spreading across his face, Soda sprinted up the front stoop and furiously knocked on the door before letting himself in.

"Honey, I'm home," cried Steve, mocking Soda before words could even leave his mouth.

Soda slapped his friend on the chest and looked around the front room. The furniture barely held up, the ceiling leaked and the wallpaper peeled, but he ventured in all of Oklahoma there wasn't a cleaner, more well-kept house. The lady of the home did well to keep it as nice as she could and it didn't do unnoticed.

"Hey, Sparky! Sparky, where are you?" Steve called, running through the house.

He casually looked around, going through her mail, grabbing a root beer from the fridge and a piece of toast from a plate on the kitchen. After stealing the girl's breakfast, he walked toward her room. Soda followed him, rolling his eyes at his friend's antics.

"Sparky, you know that if I come in here and there's a boy in your bed, Soda here'll have your head, right?"

Pushing Steve away from the door, Soda took his place. Using her real name, and not some silly nickname the boys gave her, Soda knocked.

"Lindy Sparks! We're gonna be late for finals if you don't-"

Breathless, Lindy shoved the door open. Having overslept after an all-nighter of studying and sewing, she knew all too well how late she was running. On any usual day, she had breakfast ready for the three of them and was fully dressed by the time Steve and Soda even left their houses.

"Good morning," she chirped.

Lindy ran a hand through her messy hair and picked up her bag from beside the door. Looking up, she saw Soda's companion eating her breakfast.

"Oh. Thanks, Steve," she said, grabbing the half-eaten piece of toast from the boy's mouth with a smile.

She took a large bite from it and sighed contentedly before airily passing the two Greasers. Picking up her

Review cards from the card table that acted as a dining room table, Lindy breezed through the house.

"Looking good today, Sparky," Steve commented as they walked through the screen door.

He wagged his eyebrows, knowing it would only rile Soda up. Indeed, it did. Behind Lindy's back, the Curtis boy shot Steve a look, which he mockingly returned.

But, in spite of the agitation that rose up in him at Steve's comment, Soda hardly found room in himself to disagree. Smiling, he looked at the girl's unusual outfit. Well, unusual for her. She let her hair down, her brown locks flowing to her shoulders; a pair of blue jean capris graced her legs, while a green sweater covered her torso. Soda chuckled as he looked to her feet, which bore a pair of his own hand-me-down black Chucks.

"What's with the look today, Lindy?" he asked, curious at her sudden change of wardrobe.

Generally, the girl wore nothing but old, ill-fitting hand-me-downs and things she made herself. At the boy's reaction, she chuckled self-consciously and she flipped through the pile of review cards in her hands.

"Well, good morning to you too, Sodapop Curtis," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling at him nonetheless.

This was the way things happened. Soda looked lovingly at the girl, she ignored it, oblivious to his affections, and Steve antagonized both of them, praying silently that one day the two would get together and cease the sexual tension. No more perfect trio existed.

"I ain't sayin' anything awful about it. I'm just asking."

Smirking, she looked down at herself and shrugged.

"I don't know, Soda. Found some of Mama's old dungarees in a drawer and sewed them up a bit. I just wanted to try something a little different."

Steve stepped in between them, throwing his arms over the shoulders of his two companions.

"Sparky-pants," he slipped in casually, not caring about the grimace she gave at the new addition to his nickname for her, "You can't be wearing these kinds of clothes to school. Those Soc boys'll be all over you and you know that Soda here will-"

Elbowing Steve so roughly that he doubled over in pain, Soda rolled his eyes.

"What in the Sam Hell-" Steve began, only to be cut off.

Thrusting a stack of review cards in his hands, Lindy closed her eyes. Her feet followed the familiar path of the sidewalk, the route so inscribed in her mind that she walked without even a hand to guide her.

"Call these out," she said.

After a moment of whining that ended in Soda taking the review cards and forcing Lindy to open her eyes as they traveled, the three walked companionably toward their last exam of the fall semester.

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Hours later, the three wandered out of the exam. Diligently, Lindy filled in every answer, checking over each one carefully two or three times before turning her papers in. Sodapop answered everyone he knew from reviewing with Lindy. And Steve filled in every answer but three with either, "Elvis Presley" or "Cherry Pez." So, when the period of the examination ended, all three left feeling that they had none their very best.

"Me and Steve here've got work at the DX, but we'll catch you tonight at the house, okay?" Soda said, looking at the girl beside him.

Somewhat disappointed that the boys needed to work on their first day of freedom, Lindy sighed.

"Can I come with you?" she asked, knowing the answer before the words left her lips.

Soda laced an arm around her waist and squeezed lightly.

"I wish," he said, smiling and truly meaning it.

As he usually did, Steve squeezed in between them.

"Gotta have our man time, Sparky-pants."

Weaseling her way out of the boy's grip, she began to wander away from them.

"You want me to walk you home?" Soda asked.

Glancing up at the hall clock, she shook her head. As much as she wanted nothing more than more time with Soda and Steve, her two closest companions, she knew they would be skinned alive if they showed up late to their shift at the DX.

"Nah, you'll be late," she commented over her shoulder, "I'll see you guys at home, then."

Steve and Sodapop gave her their farewells, though Soda did so uneasily. He never liked his girl walking by herself, especially through hostile territory that the walk to and from school went through. So, they turned their way and she turned hers. Dropping her review cards in the nearest trashcan and caught up in the thoughts of the pending holidays, she wrapped her arms around her to protect herself from the chill and began her way to the house. Knowing that her father still slaved away at the barber shop, seeing as the hour only just struck eleven, she wandered toward the Curtis home.

"'Ey, Sparks," a voice called from behind her.

Every inch of her body tensed as the sound of a car driving slowly behind her reached her ears. Slowly, she turned to look at it. A car packed with Socs, music turned down and windows rolled, followed her. Turning to continue to her destination, she refused to turn again, even when they parked the car and called her name.

"Hey, you hood!" a particularly familiar voice called.

She quickened her pace, trying not to run or lose her cool. The footfall behind her merely quickened with her as she ducked into a back alley way.

"C'mon, Sparks."

A meaty paw wrapped itself around her shoulder, spinning her about. Nose-to-nose with a head Soc, named Larry White, she locked her jaw and tried not to cower. Socs crowded around him, looking down their noses at her with arrogant glee.

"What d'ya want, Larry?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

Placing a hand on her thigh, he smirked.

"You can't wear clothes like that and not expect people to not notice."

Using every ounce of strength to twist away from him, her skin crawled at his advances.

"You pig," she muttered, wrenching herself from his grasp.

Effortlessly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Now, Sparks, let's be honest, you don't want to be a Greaser's girl forever."

He pinned the girl to the building wall. Squirming, she tried in vain to escape his grasp.

"I'm no one's girl, Larry. Let me go."

Finally, she managed to gather the strength to break the bonds his hands created around her wrists.

"We just wanna have some fun, Lindy. I bet those Greasers have plenty of fun with you," he said, using what seemed like every ounce of his force to push her down.

The girl's body skid across the concrete floor of the alleyway. She felt her lip bust and gashes form on her chin. Mentally cursing the Socs, she tried to push herself up.

"I thought the Greasers knew better than letting their girls walk home alone," one Soc said with a triumphant smirk, grabbing her by the waist.

She struggled, trying to release herself.

"Well, they will know by the time we're done here," one said.

Raucous laughter flooded from the Socs.

"Let me go-!" she began.

And then, as if sent from Heaven itself, a police car passed. The blaring siren pulled all the boys back to reality.

"Move it," Larry called, scared out of his mind at being caught by the police.

The Socs took off, not knowing that the cop car actually just sped past them, looking for some kid who stole a Pepsi off of the DX counter. Moments later, Lindy rose from the concrete, placing her hand to her face to assess the damage. Busted lip, cut face, scraped palms.

"Ah, hell," she muttered, looking at the rip created in her recently altered jeans.

With a sigh, she stood to her feet. Praying that she could get cleaned up before Soda got off of work, she began the long trek to his house.

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**I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review! It means the world to me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here it is! I haven't had a computer for a while, so please bear with me with updates! Please review! They make me happy!**

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Lindy drug herself toward the house of her friends. She ignored the throbbing her head and lip, pushing it to the back of her mind. On their side of town, beat downs were a part of life, something to be dealt with. But she knew that if Soda arrived after his shift to see her bloodied and bruised, he would lose his mind. On the other hand, she knew it would be worse if she didn't show up at all. Striding up the street, she gulped when she saw Darry's car in the driveway. Just perfect. Groaning, she ducked to avoid the windows and crept around the side of the house. Taking the set of keys from her back pocket, she grabbed one and headed for the kitchen window.

Sliding the metal under the edging of the frame, she heard a satisfying pop as the rusted lock snapped up. Stealthily as she could, she pulled the window up and crept over the sink.

"Y'really think I can't hear you?"

Lindy winced at her rotten luck.

"Hey, Superman," she called.

Climbing over the sink, she let her feet soundly hit the floor. She heard the sound of Darry Curtis storming through the house, and walked over to the icebox.

"What the Sam Hill d'you think you're doin', sneaking in the back window like that? You-"

She turned to face him as he entered the kitchen. Her deadpan expression combined with the cuts that marred her face stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Ah, hell. What happened?"

Lindy shrugged, grabbing a handful of ice.

"I fell."

Noncommittally, she crossed the kitchen and wrapped the ice in a towel. Her bleeding lip would get it dirty, but as she did most of the Curtis' laundry anyway, she hardly found it in herself to care.

"Like hell you did. The Socs do that?" he asked.

She tensed unwillingly at the reminder, giving Darry his answer.

"I can't believe my pin-headed kid brother would let you walk here by yourself-"

Lindy cut him off, pulling the ice pack from her lips.

"It's not his fault. I should've known better."

Darry quickly parried her words.

"So should Soda."

Lindy rolled her eyes.

"Not a word of this to him, Darrell Curtis."

Her words poured out as a threat, a demand. The man looked down at her.

"So you're gonna give him that bull "I fell" excuse?"

He scoffed.

"Yeah. He'll buy that."

Frustrated at his sarcasm, she threw the ice in the sink and pushed past him.

"Calm Down, Lindy. He's gonna find out one way or another," Darry said, following her.

The girl spun to face him.

"Why does he ever have to find out?" she snapped.

Darry continued, undaunted by her frustration.

"Would you rather my stupid kid brother find out from some Soc passin' him on the street?"

Lindy stopped, frozen in her tracks. Her shoulders sagged infinitesimally. She knew Darry was right, for once. With a long sigh, she looked imploringly at the eldest Curtis Brother.

"Will you at least let me tell him? He might take it better if it ain't comin' from you."

Nodding, the eldest Curtis brother folded his arms in front of him. A beat passed between the two of them as he weighed his options.

"Fine. Yeah, I can do that," he decided, finally.

Relief rolled over Lindy at his words. With a smile, she wrapped him in a hug.

"But you better tell him tonight, or all bets are off, you hear?" he said, stoically as he pushed away from her.

They shared a solemn look.

"Yeah, I hear you, Superman," she said, lightly punching his arm.

He wrapped an arm around her and drug her into the living room.

"C'mon, you should sit and rest. I'll cook you some lunch."

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Since he left Lindy to walk by herself, Soda fidgeted all day. His usual cigarettes refused to calm him down, something that made him even more anxious. Steve's antics no longer distracted him. Pretty girls flirting with him as he gassed their cars didn't soothe his mind. Constantly, his eyes flickered to the clock, counting the seconds until he could clock out.

"'Ey, Soda. You gotta hot date?"

This snapped the middle Curtis brother from his distracted turn of thought.

"Huh?" he asked, caught off guard.

Steve slid over the hood of a car and landed in front of his friend.

"Cause you basically gotta hard-on for that clock over there."

Cackling, the boy doubled over at his own joke and slapped his friend on the back good-naturedly. When the laughter didn't move his friend, Steve suddenly became serious.

"Aw, you ain't worried 'bout our little ol' Sparky-Pants, are ya?"

Grinding his jaw, Soda shoved his hands in his pockets and turned from the boy.

"C'mon, Soda! You know she'll be alright."

Soda ignored the boy and moved to re-order the maps beside the gas pump. Taking a glance at the clock, he gulped and sighed. Time never went so slowly.

"I know she's always been good to stick up for herself, Steve, but I've gotta bad feelin' in my gut about this one-"

He turned from the maps and looked to his friend. In that moment, Steve saw his friend's distress. He sighed and groaned.

"Fine! I'll cover for you. Go after her!"

Patting his friend on the back, Soda smiled and immediately set off.

"I owe you one, Steve!"

The Randle boy rolled his eyes.

"Shut up! You'll never pay me back for this one."

Soda ran away, rushing toward his home.

"Steal a kiss for me, eh, Soda boy?"

And, hearing his best friend's hysterical cackle, Soda knew he was going to be alright.

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**Please read and review! I hope you all are enjoying this story!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here it is! Chapter Three! Thank you so much to my amazing reviewers! You mean the world to me! All these people who alert are great, but the ones I love are the reviewers! Please review! :)**

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By the time Soda arrived at his house, Two-Bit Matthews sat on his couch eating a grilled cheese sandwich, Darry performed curl ups on the doorframe, Pony curled up with a book, and Lindy was no where to be seen.

"Two-Bit, all you ever do is eat our food and watch my TV. Don't you have anywhere else to be?" Soda asked his friend soon as he hit the threshold.

Two-Bit, refusing to tear his eyes away from the television set, shrugged.

"'Course I got better stuff to do, but I like slumming it with you losers."

Soda rolled his eyes and smiled before moving to his younger brother. Tousling his hair, he chuckled.

"Where's Lucky Lindy?" He asked.

Two-Bit shrugged, while Darry merely stared daggers at him. Ponyboy, without looking up from the book in his hands, thrust his head in the direction of the kitchen.

"She's in there."

Throwing a thanks over his shoulder, Soda made a beeline for the kitchen. There, a humorous sight met him. Lindy, snoring softly, sprawled herself out over a half-folded pile of clothing. He chuckled, until he saw the cuts.

"Lindy!" he shouted before he could stop himself.

She leapt to her feet.

"I'm up," she said, her head swiveling from side to side.

He reached out to her, grabbing her arm gently.

"Lindy, what happened?" he asked, his eyes furrowing as he looked down her body to inspect her wounds.

Just as she was about to say 'nothing', Darry materialized in the doorway. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Sparky, tell him."

Soda threw a confused look between the two. He reached out and grabbed the girl's hands. He squeezed them and tried to ignore the scratches he felt on the palms.

"Well," Lindy looked down, "The Socs caught up with me on my way home from exams today."

She quickly changed her demeanor as her friend's expression quickly became dark.

"But I swear, it ain't a big deal. I'm fine, and you really-"

Soda let her go and turned to Darry, as if to find that it was all some grand joke. He found no reassurance in his brother. Instead, his older brother just brought him more worried.

"Why'd you let her walk home, Soda? Are you stupid or something? What'd you think-"

Lindy cut in, shaking her head and crossing to Darry.

"You promised you would let me handle this."

She held her head high, no longer guarding her feelings. Knowing she was right, Darry shot one last look at his kid brother and pushed himself away from the pair. As soon as his footfall became silenced, Soda turned to Lindy.

"Lindy, you know I would never-. I mean, If I'd known-"

Lifting her cut hand to his cheek, she shrugged with a smile.

"I know, Soda. Don't worry about it."

He looked up at her.

"Do you need anything? A cup of water, some ice-" His hands wrapped around her shoulders.

A voice called from the other room.

"Hey, lovebirds! Take it to the bedroom, okay? Mickey Mouse is on and I can't focus with all of that love business going on in the kitchen, you heard?"

Two-Bit smirked as he successfully cured the uncomfortable moment.

"Why don't you just shut up and watch your damn cartoon?" Sodapop called with a smile.

Lindy laughed as she looked up at Sodapop, glad that the moment had passed.

"How about I take you out?" he asked.

She took a half step back. Knowing it meant less than a date but more than a group outing, she smiled a half-smile at him.

"Really?" she asked.

Sodapop nodded.

"Yeah. It's the first night of Christmas. Isn't that what guys are supposed to do? Take their girls out for nights on the town?"

Lindy incredulously took a step back and smirked. Crossing her arms in front of her, she quirked her eyebrow.

"A night on the town?"

He smiled.

"Yep. Only the best Tulsa has to offer. I'll even borrow the car. Take you out in style."

Shaking her head, she took another step from him. A smile crept across her face, and she heard the boys in the other room shift. They were listening.

"Nah," she began, straightening out the collar of his DX grease monkey uniform, "I don't go out with dirty boys."

Uproarious laughter poured from the living room.

"Ah, she got you good, Sodapop. She got you good!"

Two-Bit ran into the room and pat Lindy on the back. Darry and Ponyboy followed close behind, both holding back laughter of their own.

"Sparky, I don't know how you let it happen, but we sure did rub off on you."

Soda laughed along good-naturedly.

"Sparky-Pants! Superman called me-"

Steve Randle called out to the girl as he hopped through the open kitchen window.

"Dammit, Steve, how many times-"

Waving off Darry, Steve smirked and walked toward the girl of the hour.

"Shoot, girl, you got busted up pretty bad."

Lindy shrugged it off.

"She still looks better than whatever trash you're sleeping with, Steve," Two-Bit joked.

Steve shook his head and used his hands to tilt Lindy's chin up.

"Well, there's no damn dispute about that. But still, Sparky-pants, you got busted up!"

Sodapop nodded.

"Yeah, we got that, Steve."

Ignoring his friend, Steve moved to raid the fridge.

"Whatever, Soda. I'm glad you left work early. See you were able to help her plenty."

Lindy knew when to intervene.

"Well, why don't I start on dinner? Pony, you wanna-?"

Pony, knowing Lindy well enough, jumped up. Putting his book down on the counter, he nodded.

"Yep."

Shoving Steve out of the way, he began to gather things out of the fridge for dinner.

"I can take a hint. I know when I'm not wanted."

But before he left, he grabbed up a root beer from the fridge and wandered into the TV room.

"You better follow him," Lindy said, turning on the stove.

Taking their cue to leave, the boys scuffled out. But not before Soda snuck a kiss on Lindy's cheek, which stained the skin pink for what seemed like hours to Lindy.

"He loves you," Ponyboy said simply with a shrug.

Somewhere, deep down, Lindy started to believe it.

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**Review! It was a bit of filler, but some huge drama happens next chapter! Stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, hello, hello, everyone! Guess who is back? If you guessed me, then you'd be right! Please review!**

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**Hours later, long after the sun set over the horizon and the Mickey Mouse cartoon was replaced with some new program, Soda emerged from his shower, ready for bed. Darry and Pony went ahead of him, which he didn't mind a bit. To him, it meant more time with Lindy. Even from the time he was small and she first entered the house, he knew how special she was. And having her around was a breath of fresh air for Soda. Smiling, he slipped on clothes for bed and emerged from the bathroom. He looked into the living room, where the television sat, full blast. Every light blared on, and the door still propped itself open against a shoe. And there she lay, curled up against the couch on the floor, her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin on her kneecaps. Soda laughed to himself. _Typical Lindy Sparks. _He walked over and sat beside her, mimicking her position. He heard the steady rise and fall of her breathing, and matched it breath for breath. Looking over at her, he smiled. No one had the effect she did on him, and he never really understood why. Remembering the stupid comment he made about taking her out on the town, he nearly slapped himself. _How could I be that stupid?_ He wondered, his teeth grit in embarrassment. Eyes glancing away from Lindy's worn-out form, he caught side of the clock on the wall. Past midnight.

"Lindy?" He whispered, turning back to her.

Her breathing faltered and she groaned a little bit under her breath.

"It's twelve fifteen. You better start heading home," he continued, looking down at her as though she were God's most precious angel.

After a moment, the girl sighed and lifted her head from her knees. She blinked rapidly before looking at him, bleary eyed.

"Hi," she breathed, a small smile on her face.

He indulged her.

"Hi," he repeated.

She stretched her body out and then looked over at him.

"Walk me home?" she asked.

Soda shrugged.

"'Course I will."

The pair rose from their seats on the floor and meandered around the room. Lindy grabbed the left-over scraps from her dinner to bring home to her father, while Soda busied himself with the lights and the television set.

"You ready?" she asked, materializing at his side.

He nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Let's go," Soda said, smiling as they braved the cold weather together.

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The next morning, Lindy rose to the sounds of her father returning from the bar down the road. He was the silent drunk type, rarely saying anything, but she heard the sounds of the door clicking open, and knew instinctively who it was. She slipped into her day clothes and slid out of her door just as he ventured in the house. A long moment of silence passed between them, his half-lidded eyes staring at hers like a sick animal who needed nothing more than to be left alone. She moved toward the door, but gave his shoulder a slight pat. This was the routine. Every morning, she left as he came in, leaving a plate of food on the table and giving him silent reassurance that he could make it through one more day without the wife who passed away twelve years ago: the wife that he loved more than he could bear.

But Lindy soldiered out of her house, wrapping her arms around herself. She shivered against the cold, her thin sweater doing nothing to protect her and every muscle in her body tensed as she felt the brisk air hit her. Along the walk with Sodapop home the night before, they planned to meet at the Curtis House after his morning shift at the DX. So, as much as she just wanted to curl under the thin blankets in her bedroom, she knew Soda would soon be expecting her. Hurrying down the lane, she bit her bottom lip and let a shiver wrack her body. Wrapped up so tightly in herself, she didn't notice the young man heading right for her until he smacked into her with the force of a freight train.

"Oh, damn!" a voice shouted as Lindy fell to the ground.

Lindy let out a breath as she plopped onto the cracked concrete.

"Are you okay?"

She looked around, then finally up. She knew, the moment her eyes hit the stranger's shoes, that she was dealing with a Soc.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

A hand extended down toward her. The girl refused to look up at his face. After a moment, she didn't have a choice but to look at him. A charming smile flashed in front of her face as the Soc bent down to meet her.

"You sure?" he asked.

Upon further inspection, he saw the gashes.

"Oh, Christ! I'm so sorry! Did I-?"

He reached toward her, but she jerked back.

"You didn't. Your Soc friends did."

The boy ground his teeth.

"They beat up on a girl?"

She nodded, so annoyed she could spit nails.

"Yes. They did. Can I go now?"

She moved to stand, but before she could do so on her own, a hand wrapped around hers, pulling her to her feet. The Soc smiled at her. He reshouldered his bag chuckled nervously.

"Oh, where are my manners?" He mumbled to himself.

Looking at her fully, his eyes locked with hers and he extended his hand.

"I'm Michael Robbins. Friends call me Robbie."

After a moment, she still did not extend her hand to meet his in a shake.

"It's okay. You can take it," he said, smiling.

Tentatively, she did.

"Where are you headed to?"

Her eyes snapped to his in confusion.

"Well, my car's just down the block there, and I could take you."

Suspicion filled her, and she shook her head.

"I don't get into cars with Socs," she said simply.

Lindy turned to leave, but got cut off by his voice.

"C'mon, Lindy, you-"

She spun on her heel.

"How do you know my name?" she accused.

Michael gave her a knowing look.

"We've had six classes together for the past nine years," he shrugged, "I've always known your name. You were the prettiest girl in the second grade."

The flattery worked. She could hardly resist the banter.

"Oh, was I?" she joked back to him.

Something in this boy attracted her like a moth to the flame. His smile warmed her from the inside, and his gaze penetrated her fully. Michael extended his arm regally, lobbing the joke back to her.

"M'lady, if you would be so kind as to let me escort you home, I'd be delighted to regale you with tales of your own beauty."

Lindy laughed and looped her arm through his.

"Oh, please do."

The two chuckled.

"Have we really had six classes together for this whole time?" she asked as they wandered down the street.

He nodded.

"Yep. But they don't really let us talk to you- The Socs, I mean. Larry White and all them just-"

Lindy knew exactly what he spoke of.

"Yeah. I gotcha."

They arrived at the boy's sparkling car, a car that probably had been hand polished by the boys at the DX. Lindy's stomach turned at the thought as Michael ran around the car to open the passenger door for the girl.

"Well," she began, backing away from the beauty of a machine, "I'd better walk home."

He ceased opening her door.

"Oh, well I'll walk you," he said, starting toward her after slamming the car door.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, searching for some hint of malice or deceit. She found none, and only found a glint in his eye that came from too much smiling. Lindy sighed and nodded.

"Alright. If it means that much to you."

Michael nodded and looped his arm through hers once more.

"It does. Where to?"

Lindy smiled and repeated the Curtis' address from memory. The pair then set off, Lindy letting the boys' judgement of the Socs completely slip her mind for a few, spare moments.

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**Please review! I'd love to get some feedback! More drama soon! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, delightful reviewers! I love you all! Alerters, you're okay and adored, but reviewing is amazing!**

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Lindy held her sides laughing at something Robbie said.

"And what happened then?" She managed to gasp out as they turned a corner.

He held his arms out, trying to regain control of himself.

"Well, then man shoots up in the pew and starts singing, and the preacher says, 'Thank you, choir master, but I wasn't done yet. You can go back to sleep!'"

The pair held each other to keep them upright. It crossed Lindy's mind that she never thought a Soc could have such an interesting history. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.

"Gee, you know how to tell a story, Robbie."

Robbie shrugged it off, shaking his head. He tightened his jacket around him as a wind blew through, pulling his shoulders down in a general un-Soc manner.

"It's nothing. You should see my brother. That guy knows how to spin a yarn. Taught me everything I know.

Lindy nodded, as though she knew what having an older brother was like. In many ways, she did. Darry acted like her older brother and probably believed himself to be.

"But what about you? Your family?" he asked, as though reading her thoughts.

She sighed, having hoped that they never would reach this topic. He looked down at her, a confused smile beaming down at her.

"What?"

Chuckling, she shrugged.

"Nothing. I-"

Looking up at him for reassurance, she took a leap of faith and prayed he was worth it.

"I don't really have any family. Well, not blood family."

Robbie cocked his head to one side, becoming more and more confused by the moment.

"What do you mean?"

Lindy looked off as they walked down a long stretch of sidewalk.

"My dad is always working and my mom walked out a long time ago."

A small 'oh' of understanding breathed from Robbie's lips.

"But I have the Curtis family. And Two-Bit and Steve Randle."

She waited a beat.

"They're all the family I'll ever really need, to be honest."

Robbie nodded.

"That's cool."

It was his turn to take a beat.

"So, you really are a Greaser's girl, aren't you?"

Thoroughly offended, Lindy ground her jaw and began to stalk off.

"No, I ain't no one's girl, Robinson. And to identify me with someone is not only insulting, but-"

He caught up with her and grabbed her hand, trying to quiet her down.

"Lindy, I didn't mean it that way-"

She looked up at him, her betrayal burning into him.

"What? What did you mean then?"

He took her hand in his and smiled.

"I wanted to know if you were-"

Biting his lip, he fought down the embarrassment.

"Look, I've wanted to ask you this since second grade, so think before you answer," he warned her of his feelings.

Lindy nodded, only partially comprehending what he meant.

"I just wanted to make sure the other guys- the Greasers, that is- hadn't pinned you already. I mean, I know you don't wear a pin, but I didn't know if you just chose not to wear it-"

Bending over for laughter, Lindy wiped tears away from her eyes. The idea of any of the Greasers pinning anyone was simply too much for her to bear.

"What's so funny?"

Lindy grabbed his hand in her own once more.

"I'm not pinned or dating or taken by any of those boys. I can promise you that."

A wind of relief blew from Robbie's mouth.

"Oh, good. I wanted to know if maybe, if you aren't free or anything, if you might consider going with me to the movies tomorrow night?"

Silence held the pair for a long moment before Lindy smiled up at Robbie.

"I'll go on one condition."

He beamed at her.

"Anything."

Hope flooded him and she put a hand to her face.

"You have to let me walk the rest of the way home alone. I don't want to have to defend you against the rough and tough Greasers when we get closer to my home."

Against his better judgment, Robbie immediately agreed.

"I'll pick you up around six, then," he said.

Lindy shook her head furiously.

"No. No, you can't pick me up."

Robbie took a step back.

"What do you mean?"

She waved him away.

"No, I'll meet you there. I like the walk."

Robbie looked for a place to compromise.

"Well, it's a long walk, but I could meet you at your house and we could walk together. How does that sound?"

Again, Lindy shook her head and released his hands.

"No, I can't. I'll meet you there."

Robbie leaned in close to her, a reassuring smile on his face.

"You don't have to be afraid of what the guys will do to me. I'm fine."

She chuckled and shook her head.

"I promise you, it ain't about that at all."

He pulled back.

"Then why won't you let me take care of you for one night?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and realized that she couldn't kindly coerce him out of that idea.

"Look, you either do this my way or not at all."

Saying it with a smile bit the edge off, and Robbie went for it.

"Well, you do drive a hard bargain, Lindy."

Her smile growing, Lindy nodded gleefully.

"Thank you for the compliment," she muttered to him.

Robbie nodded.

"You're welcome. I'll meet you at the Drive-In at seven. Cool?"

With a smile, Lindy grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it for a moment.

"The coolest."

Turning to leave, he waved.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

And against her better judgement, Lindy allowed herself to be the happiest girl alive for that one, brief moment.

* * *

**OOOOHHH... Wonder how the boys are going to like that... Please give me feedback! I'd love to hear from you! Review!**


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